


Easy as 1-2-3

by FrozenHearts



Category: Fire Emblem Series, Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses, Fire Emblem: If | Fire Emblem: Fates, Fire Emblem: Kakusei | Fire Emblem: Awakening
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fire Emblem Fusion, Awakening is more referenced than anything, Byleth is scary af, Dark Magic, Demon My Unit | Byleth, Demons, Dragons, Female My Unit | Byleth, Fire Emblem: Awakening Spoilers, Gen, Gods, Magic, Male My Unit | Byleth, Nohr | Conquest Route, Pre-Fire Emblem Fates, Royalty, School, Teacher-Student Relationship, Twins, fire emblem: three houses - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-05
Updated: 2019-08-05
Packaged: 2020-07-18 01:01:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,969
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19966138
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FrozenHearts/pseuds/FrozenHearts
Summary: Garon decides to hire a new tutor for his children to further their studies





	Easy as 1-2-3

**Author's Note:**

> I've had this idea of Byleth being a teacher to the Fates kids since last year.
> 
> Also Male and Female Byleth both exist, they are twins and the girl is named Beleth- you can tell Jeralt is not very creative with names lol
> 
> (GOLDEN DEER ALL THE WAY I LOVE THEM SO MUCH)

It had been a week since Garon hired the new tutor for his children. A week since Elise had started her etiquette lessons, and Camilla trained daily with her axe. At dinner, Elise would boast about how she knew which fork was the dessert fork and not so subtly correct Camilla on which glass was the wine glass and not the water glass.

"I see Elise's lessons are going well," Garon hummed from the head of the table, his voice rumbling low, "And how has your calligraphy been, Xander?"

Xander, ever the perfect son, nodded his head, "Quite well. His methods are.... a tad strict, but well meaning."

Leon snorted into his glass, catching Camilla's well hidden giggle. Take it from Xander to give such a backhanded compliment. Leo had yet to meet the man himself, but Elise didn't seem to have problems at all, and Camilla even spoke his praises from time to time, so he knew he couldn't be that bad. 

"Is something funny, Leo?" Garon's raised eyebrow was turned on him and Leo clammed up, shaking his head as he tried to cover up his amusement. He could feel the corner of his lip twitch as he tried to keep from laughing.

"No, Father," Leo managed through grit teeth, "it's nothing."

Garon's eyes bore into him, sweat beading on his forehead as his stomach dropped but he allowed his shoulders to sag with relief as Garon all but huffed, turning his attention to the plate sitting before him. His food sat untouched, the quail most likely cold and the creamed mushroom most likely curdled, but Garon simply twirled his fork in the mess.

"Professor Byleth will begin attending to your studies in two days time," Garon announced, "I pray you retain all he has to offer in due time."

Xander filled in the silence when Leo didn't say anything, a strained smile plastered on as he managed to grt out a "Professor Byleth certainly has some unorthodox methods but I daresay he's useful to have around."

Well, Leo thought as he speared a piece of meat off his plate angrily, I guess I'll figure that out for myself.

"And I'm assuming my course will be magic-focused?" Leo asked as he swallowed. The chicken was dry as it went down his throat. 

"Stands to reason," Camilla offered, "It was quite funny to see the frail thing handle an axe!"

Elise gasped, her horror failing to come through her amusement, "Big Sister! The first rule of etiquette is to never laugh at your peers should you hurt their feelings!"

Camilla flicked her hair out of her face, "Did the professor teach you that or is that one of those "special friendship rules" you and Sakura have?"

Elise pouted, "It still goes for teachers too, you know!"

Camilla put on an affronted look, a dainty hand in her chest as she exclaimed "Why of course! Can you be a dear an explain the forks again? I may have used my dessert fork to eat my salad."

Leo caught Xander's eye as Garon hummed nonchalantly. It was a familiar look, one that warned him not to push. Not to test his luck when his father made a decision, even if they didn't like it.

Leo knew he knew magic. He lived and breathed magic like Camilla lived and breathed weilding an axe and doting on Corrin. How Elise loved tea parties and going shopping with Arthur and Effie. How Xander lived to please and serve no matter the affect to his health or well being. 

Leo stabbed at his plate with his fork, ignoring how Elise and Camilla laughed with each other over Camilla pretending to use her spoon like a knife. 

He'll make his own opinion of this Byleth. It was only a matter of time before these lessons were a waste anyway. 

\-------

The next day Leo found himself in one of the many courtyards, sitting on a bench and poring over tomes with Odin while Niles stood a few feet away, shooting at targets with stick-thin arrows and his usual casual cockiness. Every thwang as an arrow made Leo hunch in on himself, his grip on the edge of each page threatening to rip the paper from the spine. 

"Milord, your darkness is surely able to outpace this professor's own at this rate!" Odin said excitedly as he pointed out another spell, "I see no reason why we can't take a break from quelling the heartlessness inside?"

Leo rolled his eyes, "Odin, for the last time. I need to be better than him, Father needs to know-"

"That you can take care of yourself, we know," Niles drawled, lowering his bow. He was already out of arrows, lazily moving towards the target to pull them out of the bullseye. "Real question is, are you ready to have yourself tested like this?"

Leo blew a raspberry, "That's stupid, Niles. Of course I am."

Niles whistled, "So you say. But just because you know magic and how to use it doesn't mean you're amazing at it."

"Speak for yourself!" Odin raised a hand triumphantly, puffing out his chest, "For I, Odin Dark have been able to master the endless void that haunts me and bend it to mine own will!"

"And I can tie cherry stems into knots with my toes," Niles cackled, "Anyway, Leo, all I'm saying-"

"What you're saying is irrelevant, as you don't know magic," Leo snapped, "You know bows and arrows. So stick to it, yes?"

An awkward silence fell over them, Leo feeling his brow pinching in annoyance. Odin surprisingly kept his mouth shut as he turned back to the tome in his lap. Nikes smirked, raising an eyebrow as he offered him a mocking curtsy before restringing his bow and aiming for the target once more. 

\--------

Dread sat in his stomach like a rock as he trudged into the throne room the next day. The day this Professor Byleth was to begin their lessons. Camilla and Xander were dutifully standing at Garon's sides, and Leo offered a small bow before taking a place next to Xander.

His brother leaned over, whispering from the corner of his mouth, "Elise has been excused for today. She's spending time with Arthur and Effie."

Leo nodded, "Makes sense. She finished her lessons already. Is the professor arriving soon?"

Xander opened his mouth to speak, but a guard beat him to it, announcing with an alarmingly loud boom, "Professor Byleth of Gerrag Mach, the country of Fodlan!"

The doors groaned as they slid open, scraping along the tiled floor. The throne room was at full attention as two more guards strolled in, pikes in hand as they presented this Professor Byleth. 

Camilla was correct in saying he was frail. As he stepped confidently into the throne room, Leo could see how lean he was even with the layers of clothing and armor. A cape flew behind him, fluttering with each step. His hair was a dark blue-green color, his skin pale as death that made his black uniform jarring to look at. 

"Greetings, your Majesty," Byleth spoke with a husky voice that sent Leo on edge, "I hope your morning has been mind to you."

Garon raised a hand, "Professor. Thank you for attending to my children as you have." Leo straightened his shoulders as Garon added, "My second son, Leo. You shall be attending to his studies today."

Leo resisted the urge to gulp as Byleth craned his neck, his eyes hooded as he stared with such a cool, calculating gaze. Byleth's eyes seemed to bore into him, twist a dagger deep into his chest until he felt like he couldn't breathe.

"Are you alright, Leo?" Leo managed to hesr Xander asked, ignoring the perplexed look on his brother's face.

Leo swallowed, nodding, "Of course. I-I'm fine."

Thankfully, Xander believed him, even as Byleth turned up his nose. There was something odd, something not quite adding up the longer he met Byleth's gaze. For a while.... he felt in in Garon, an odd energy that was so stifling he wanted to choke on it. It seemed to hang heavy over Byleth's head, and if Leo really focused his magic, he could feel the faint aura surrounding him. Byleth's gaze steeled as he offered Leo a short bow of the head.

"You study the black magics, do you not, Milord?" Professor Byleth asked, hands folding behind his back. 

"Indeed," Leo confirmed, "May i ask where you studied?"

Byleth smirked, "In due time. We should start as soon as possible, however-" Byleth bowed deeply to Garon, "Your Majesty, thank you for the introductions. I'll be in my chambers should you need me."

\-------

The library was always a source of comfort for Leo growing up. When Xander refused to play with him, he would hole up in the stacks and gaze at picture books. When Camilla was adopted into the family, Leo was always looking through books to see if they could have an actual conversation besides her constant doting. Corrin was a bit if a mystery, and Leo felt bad remembering how he avoided them like the plague when they first arrived at the castle. Elise, he would ignire when she got too nosy.

Now, however, Leo felt dread weighing on his shoulders as he sat at his desk, Professor Byleth eyeing him with a book open in one hand, the other hand idly fidgeting with a scorching ball of orange flame. He didn't seem to be reciting from the book, simply conjuring it due to boredom as he idly skimmed the words on the pages.

Maybe Garon was right to hire this tutor then, Leo mused. He wasn't able to conjure silently at will, still needed to recite rhymes and cast conjunctions to get the desired effect. Leo watched as Byleth frowned to himself, blowing dark green- or was it blue?- fringe from his eyes.

"If you've time to stare at me," Byleth announced monotonously without looking up, "Then you have time to recite the list of known dragon gods across the Kingdoms."

Leo snapped his shoulders back, "Anankos, Naga, Grima, Sothis-"

"Ah, ah!" Byleth tutted, "Sothis is the pregenitor god. Try again."

Leon curled his fingers until his knuckles turned white. Gritting his teeth, he reiterated, "Anankos, Grima, Naga... Seiros, Tiki...." His mind drew a blank as he struggled to recall the final name on the list. Was it a woman? A man? Did they exist in the Ylissean Era or an alternate plane?

"Tiki and.....?" Byleth prompted.

Leo raised an eyebrow, "Duma?"

Byleth snuffed out the fireball he was fiddling with, snapping the book shut. It echoed in the empty library, ringing in Leo's ears. 

"A special case, not usually counted or remembered, but very good."

Leo let out a breath he didn't realise he was holding in, "May I ask..."

"The magic?" Byleth cut him off nonchalantly, "In due time you'll be able to do such a thing as well. Keyword being time."

"Did you have lots of time then?" Leo leaned back in his chair, "Considering you do it with such ease and no recitals or incantations."

Leo was expecting an answer like "I had tutors from when I was young in a noble house," or "I was born with the ability, it comes more natural to just think than fumble with words."

Leo found himself confused as Byleth maintained that same bored stare, flexing thin fingers as he turned his hand over to inspect it, almost like he was watching a stray mosquito crawl across his knuckles.

"I learned during my time as a mercenary," Byleth explained boredly, "My father was good with axes, my sister bested me with swords so I took to magic."

Leo could understand that. He was never good with swords, Xander always knocking him over in training. Corrin had favored bows, wanting to master Pegasus riding whilst Elise took up the mantle of cleric. The way Camilla had taken to axes, quite frankly, frightened him so he chose the only option left to him and he was very proud of the work he accomplished in his short life.

He leaned forward on his elbows, folding his hands under his chin, "May I ask how long you were a mercernary?"

"As nosy as my other students, I see," Byleth joked, his empty gaze never wavering. 

Leo felt that same energy suddenly, the familiar feeling from when he first saw Byleth entering the throne room. His skin itched as he watched Byleth place the book down, regsrd his hand with such blankness it was almost terrifying.

He'd never seen someone look so uninterested, almost dead, in fact. Or, Leo thought, as if he never had a face to begin with. No pulse of life, no heartbeat to out some color in his pale cheeks, to pound against his chest. 

"Oh?" Leo offered dumbly.

"Indeed. Beleth- my twin sister- told me when we were old enough our father raised us as such. So we did as such and did what we had to survive. She chose swords, I chose magic." With a flick of his wrist, Byleth returned the ball of flame to hover over his open palm, but instead of fantastic orange it was crackling with lightning, blue strings of flashing light sparking around a swirling ball of blacks and midnight blues. 

Leo grimaced; whilst he practiced dark magic himself, he'd never seen anything so naturally volatile. 

"But I digress," Byleth dismissed the magic as quickly as he had summoned it, "We are not here to discuss me. I am here to teach you. Your father says you have yet to master a certain spell?"

Leo flushed hotly, the dark energy seeming to fade but linger, "Um, yes. Ragnarok, actually."

Byleth nodded, "Light magic. Nosferstu is the next one people find tricky, but Ragnarok is a good lead into that spell."

Leo nodded, turning back to his book. As Byleth explained thr spell, however, Leo felt his mind wander.

He couldn't help but feel there was something off about Byleth, and it was quite similar to his father these days. A bored air about him, like he couldn't be bothered with anything, a rough dsrk hanging over his head constantly, suffocating those around him. 

He had a feeling whatever happend to Garon most likely happened with Byleth- possibly his twin sister too, if Byleth was telling the truth about having a sister. It was hard to tell with him. The rest of the lesson went smoothly, Byleth correcting hus pronunciations and going through thr hand movements for certain spells when needed. It was good practice, but Leo noticed hoe hard Byleth's gaze was as he worked, his green eyes cold and distant. 

He was glad when Byleth dismissed him after another two hours and Leo stayed up all night poring through his manuscripts on the Ancient Dragons of history trying to find a connection. 

\-------

Leo was able to discuss Byleth the next day over tea with Xander, as the teacher was doing another lesson plan with Elise- something about ballroom dancing, boring girl stuff, really.

"Xander," Leo coughed into his fist, "How did you feel about your lessons with Professor Byleth?"

Xander looked at him over the thin rim of his glasses, "What do you mean? Is he not an adequate teacher?"

Leo shook his head vigorously, "No! He's perfectly fine, I just can't help but feel like something's.... off about him."

At this, Xander put down the paper he was reading, uncrossing his legs as he leaned forward, "Like you mean with Father? Because there isn't much evidence to go on-"

"Listen, you have swords, I have magic," Leo hissed, "And I sensed that his aura was similar to Father's. It was dark and it overpowering and.... it felt almost like his power would suffocate me. Actually, it's worse than Father's, if that's possible."

Leo could see from the slight twitch in Xander's lip that he was trying not to chuckle. Or freak out. Or both, both was good.

"He conjured magic without an incantation," Leo added, "He didn't say a word, he just summoned the energy and fiddled with it like he was tossing a ball between his hands!"

Xander frowned, "He was frightening with a sword, I must say. So thin but he wielded it as if it were a toothpick."

Leo nodded in encouragement, "He says he lived as a mercernary before- chose magic since his sister chose swords- said it was in him to use magic since he was born or something along similar lines-"

Xander blew a raspberry; he'd never seen Xander look so flustered, with spittle flying from his lips but he understood the shock.

"That's power only the gods obtain," Xander coughed, wiping the back of his hand across his mouth. "I had a few doubts myself, but alas we can't ask. Father says Professor Byleth departs tonight."

"Why?" Leo shrugged.

"Apparently he has other students," Xander sighed, "Would have loved to pick his brain a bit more, apparently he has some interesting war tactics at the monastery he works at."

Leo hummed in agreement, the conversation lulling as Xander picked his paper back up. He could hesr faint violin music muffled through the walls; so It seemed Elise was lesrning the waltz. They sat in comfortable silence, listening to the music from the other room until they were called away. 

The conversation slipped Leo's mind for the rest if the day and Leo pushed all thought of Byleth from his mind when the man's father and sister came to collect him.

It wasn't until a week later he was reminded of Byleth again, news of the ancient Seiros having been ressurected in the kingdom of Fodlan, just west of the Hoshidan border.

**Author's Note:**

> I should have made this multi chapter instead of one it got ao long lmao


End file.
